Summer Hair Tips from an Aveda Master Stylist!

by Eva Chen

Summer can be the cruelest season of all for hair--chlorine and UV from swimming and falling behind on regular trims (who has time when you're having fun?). I had the chance to ask Kurt Lowry, Aveda Master Stylist, for his top hair tips. Read on for strand salvation!

How should girls prep hair for summer?Get an in-salon professional treatment such as Aveda's Glossing Service to prep and help protect hair from the damaging effects of sun, salt and chlorine while enhancing color tonality and shine. Aveda's Glossing Service seals the hair cuticle to maintain moisture, add body and help reduce breakage caused by damage. It's so important to strengthen hair to create a barrier of protection against the damaging elements of the summer sun.

How can you prevent flat hair from going limp in humid weather (and conversely, what's the best way to prevent frizz if you're curly)?Flat hair tends to go limp in humid weather because moisture in the air weighs hair down. To prevent moisture overload, prep hair with a shampoo and conditioner that add volume and use a styling product that enhances volume and creates texture from the root. My must-have styling product for defeating limp hair is Aveda Phomollient Styling Foam, which provides long lasting volume, lift, and texture.

Curly hair responds differently to moisture and summer humidity--it creates more frizz and flyaways. The key to battling summer frizz is to use a styling product that acts as a barrier between hair and humidity, like Aveda Smooth Infusion Style Prep Smoother, which coats and conditions hair to seal in its natural moisture, giving curls structure and blocking out excess moisture in the air. The result is smooth, frizz-free curls for up to 12 hours.

What's the ONE most important hair product/tool for summer?A deep conditioning treatment to keep hair healthy and beautiful during the summer months.

Is hair as affected by sun as skin is?Sunlight (UVA/UVB) exposes hair to free radicals that break down protein structures such as melanin. This can weaken hair and lead to color fading. Like skin, sun exposure depletes hair of its natural moisture and leaves it looking and feeling dry and dull.